A former UC Davis student has been arrested in connection with three stabbings -- two of which killed a college senior and a homeless man -- in Davis, California, police announced Thursday.
The suspect, 21-year-old Carlos Dominguez, was arrested on Thursday for two counts of homicide and one count of attempted homicide, Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel said at a news conference.
Stabbings in Davis CA
ABC News Illustration / Google Earth
He was a UC Davis student until two days before the first attack, according to the university.
UC Davis said in a statement Dominguez "was in his third year at UC Davis until April 25, 2023, when he was separated for academic reasons."
"We are partnering with law enforcement to provide access to any and all information as part of the investigation," the university said. "We are providing support to any students who may have interacted with him. As we learn more and are able to provide updates that do not interfere with the ongoing investigation, we will do so."
Dominguez was identified on Wednesday afternoon when about 15 people called the authorities, reporting seeing someone near Sycamore Park who matched the suspect description, Pytel said.
When the suspect was stopped by patrol officers, he had "physical evidence" on him that "might be part of the investigation," and he appeared to be wearing the same clothing described by witnesses at the third attack, Pytel said. Based on an interview, collected physical evidence and his clothing, he was initially arrested for possessing a large knife, Pytel said.
The "brazen" attacks, which all unfolded within one week, left the UC Davis campus and the surrounding college town on edge.
The first attack was on April 27, when David Breaux, a beloved homeless man who was a staple in Davis for over a decade, was stabbed multiple times and killed in the city's Central Park, according to police. He was found on a park bench where he often slept, police said.
David Breaux, a homeless man who was a staple in Davis, Calif., was stabbed multiple times and killed in the city's Central Park, April 27, 2023, according to police.
KXTV
A vigil for David Breaux, a beloved homeless man who was stabbed in Central Park in Davis, Calif.
ABC News
Two days later, UC Davis senior Karim Abou Najm, a 20-year-old computer science major, was stabbed to death at Davis' Sycamore Park, according to the university and police.
A portrait of Karim Abou Najm stands amid flowers on the fireplace mantel of his family home in Davis, Calif., May 1, 2023.
The Sacramento Bee/TNS via Newscom
Then, on Monday, a woman, Kimberlee Guillory, was stabbed multiple times through her tent at a transient camp, police said. She survived and was listed in critical but stable condition. Police said Thursday that she's recovering.
There's no information that Dominguez knew any of the victims, police said.
The Yolo County Sheriff's Department released the booking photo for Carlos Dominguez.
Yolo County Sheriff's Department
The victims fought back, based on physical evidence, the chief said.
Officers on Thursday are searching the Davis home where Dominguez lives, police said in a statement, adding that "significant and related evidence has already been discovered." Authorities are speaking to his roommates, the chief said.
Police investigate a home on Hawthorne Lane in Davis, Calif., May 4, 2023, related to a series of three stabbings over the last week that left two men dead and a woman critically injured.
Paul Kitagaki Jr./ZUMA Press Wire
Asked about the suspect's demeanor, the chief described him as "reserved," adding, "he spoke for a long time."
Davis Mayor Will Arnold said at the news conference, "a murderer is off the streets" and can no longer "terrorize" the community.
The chief said Thursday, "I have no doubt that normal life will resume today."
